Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Technology workers wages

How do you compare to other technology workers in your state with wages and benifits? Take this survey and you can see what other technology people are getting. the survey takes less then 5 minuets and will help us all to see where we are at in the pay scale of technology workers.

Survey
http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB226MZUW4DYD


Survey results
http://www.zoomerang.com/Shared/SharedResultsPasswordPage.aspx?ID=L232Z8UN8RAW
Yesterday SETDA (State Educational Technology Director Association) releases the first whitepaper report from the Vision 20/20 Action Plan series
" High Speed Broadband Access for All Kids: Breaking the Barriers" this report addresses the growing concern and critical need for high-speed Internet access among our districts and schools. Check out the link to view. This report goes on to talk about bandwidth demands for K-12 school today and in the near future. This is a must read report.

Link to the report
http://www.setda.org/c/document_library/get_file?folderId=270&name=DLFE-211.pdf
George Lucas testimony to Congress 6/24/2008
Edutopia

Here is a short list of what he talks about in his testimony in front of congress.
  • Erate program
  • Edutopia
  • Teachers as facilitators
  • Internet access for all students

http://www.edutopia.org/pdfs/testimony-of-george-lucas.pdf

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Lesson Plan American Civil War

Lesson Plan American Civil War

By Fred SharpsteenCMU-Saginaw EDU 595

Grade Levels: 5th – 9th

Overview:
In the videos, textbook, and lectures, you will learn about what was going on at a time when the North and South differed economically and socially, political compromise could no longer stop the division between the two, states' rights versus the constitution, tariffs, division of labor, and slavery. Legislative mandates all led to the Civil War. In this lesson plan you will learn about these and be given a chance to second-guess the leaders of the day and, with hindsight, talk about how it could have been handled differently.

Materials needed:
This section covers (Knowledge: Blooms Taxonomy)

Video:
Title American Civil War, the Causes of the War.
United Learning copyrighted (1996).
United Streaming: http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/
Time: 30 Minutes
Textbook:
The American Nation, Publisher: Prentice Hall
Other:
Computer/Microsoft Publisher: As learned in Computer Ligature Class


Objectives:
Watch the video and take notes for later discussion. Read chapters on the Civil War in your text book. Write a couple of paragraph summarizing reasons that the South wanted to start a Civil War.

  • (Knowledge: Blooms Taxonomy)
  • (Comprehension: Blooms Taxonomy)
  • Week 1

    Construct a time line of event leading up to the start of the war and until the end of the war.
  • (Application: Blooms Taxonomy)
  • Week 2

    Using a Wiki in your group, talk about “legitimate” reasons why the country went to war and list major events of the war. Each team will create a list of reasons and major events. Refer to textbook, class notes, and notes taken from the video.
  • (Analysis: Blooms Taxonomy)
  • (Synthesis: Blooms Taxonomy)
  • (Evaluation: Blooms Taxonomy)
  • Week 3


    Using Podcast, Screencast, Microsoft Publisher or a Camcorder, create a news clip or newspaper headline and story of a big day in the Civil War.
    Examples:
    1. The first shot fired.
    2. The last day’s events of the Civil War
    3. A major turning event in the war or prewar.

  • (Comprehension: Blooms Taxonomy)
  • (Application: Blooms Taxonomy)
  • (Analysis: Blooms Taxonomy)
  • (Synthesis: Blooms Taxonomy)
  • Week 4


    Write a one-page paper on what emotions played in the Civil War. Defend or critique the South’s reasons for going to war. How are thing the same or different now with the South?
    Note: post the papers on the blackboard server
  • (Knowledge: Blooms Taxonomy)
  • (Comprehension: Blooms Taxonomy)
  • (Application: Blooms Taxonomy)
  • (Analysis: Blooms Taxonomy)
  • (Synthesis: Blooms Taxonomy)
  • (Evaluation: Blooms Taxonomy)
  • Week 5

    Write a one-page paper on the Civil War Could it have been stopped or prevented in your opinion? Defend or critique if going to war was inevitable.
    Note: post the papers on the blackboard server

  • (Knowledge: Blooms Taxonomy)
  • (Comprehension: Blooms Taxonomy)
  • (Application: Blooms Taxonomy)
  • (Analysis: Blooms Taxonomy)
  • (Synthesis: Blooms Taxonomy)
  • (Evaluation: Blooms Taxonomy)
  • Week 5



    Formative assessments:
    You will weekly check to make sure that assignments are turned in. Also a quiz will be given each Friday covering weekly topics. This rubric is how weekly projects will be assessed and scored.

    Rubric:
    Points
    1 –3
    3 - 5
    6 - 8
    8 - 10

    Needs work
    Meets some of the requirements
    Meets requirement
    Shows mastery of subject
    Write paragraphs
    Missing point of the war
    Most of the points of the war
    Good job-summarizes the war
    Excellent job-covers all points and other events of the war
    Construct a time line of events
    Missing many points in the war or prewar
    Missing some points of the war
    Has all major points of the war and prewar
    Has all major points of the war and prewar and other points of interest
    Using the Wiki in your groups to come up with a list of reasons the war started
    Weak participation
    Some good points
    Good points and good participation
    Excellent points, excellent participation
    News clip or newspaper headlines and story
    Needs work
    News items need more content
    Good headline good new article
    Excellent news headline
    excellent news article
    Write a one-page paper
    #1
    Needs work
    Covers some points and thoughts on reasoning weak
    Covers all points and some good reasoning
    Covers all points and well thought out reasoning
    Write a one-page paper
    #2
    Needs work
    Covers some points and thoughts on reasoning weak
    Covers all points and some good reasoning
    Covers all points and well thought out reasoning

    Summative assessments:
    Final test will be on all material covered over the section also question of the Civil War on the Michigan Education Assessment Program (MEAP) will be evaluated on the next MEAP test to make sure that we are meeting Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in these state standards.




    State Standards Covered:
    · State: Michigan Subject: Social Studies
    Grade: 5
    o MI.I.1. - Measure chronological time by decades and centuries.
    § I.1.1. - Measure chronological time by decades and centuries.
    o MI.I.2. - Identify and explain how individuals in history demonstrated good character and personal virtue.
    § I.2.4. - Identify and explain how individuals in history demonstrated good character and personal virtue.
    o MI.I.3. - Interpret conflicting accounts of events in both Michigan and United States history and analyze the viewpoints of the authors.
    § I.3.2. - Interpret conflicting accounts of events in both Michigan and United States history and analyze the viewpoints of the authors.
    o MI.I.4. - Select decisions made to solve past problems and evaluate those decisions in terms of ethical considerations, the interests of those affected by the decisions, and the short-and long-term consequences in those decisions.
    § I.4.2. - Select decisions made to solve past problems and evaluate those decisions in terms of ethical considerations, the interests of those affected by the decisions, and the short-and long-term consequences in those decisions.
    Grade: 6
    o MI.I.1. - Construct and interpret timelines of people and events from the history of Michigan and the United States through the era of Reconstruction and from the history of other regions of the world.
    § I.1.1. - Construct and interpret timelines of people and events from the history of Michigan and the United States through the era of Reconstruction and from the history of other regions of the world.
    § I.1.2. - Describe major factors that characterize the following eras in United States history: The Meeting of Three Worlds (beginnings to 1620), Colonization and Settlement (1585-1763), Revolution and the New Nation (1754-1815), Expansion and Reform (1801-1861) and Civil War and Reconstruction (1850-1877).
    o MI.I.2. - Identify and explain how individuals in history demonstrated good character and personal virtue.
    § I.2.2. - Identify and explain how individuals in history demonstrated good character and personal virtue.
    § I.2.3. - Select conditions in various parts of the world and describe how they have been shaped by events from the past.
    o MI.I.3. - Use primary and secondary records to analyze significant events that shaped the development of Michigan as a state and the United States as a nation prior to the end of the era of Reconstruction.
    § I.3.1. - Use primary and secondary records to analyze significant events that shaped the development of Michigan as a state and the United States as a nation prior to the end of the era of Reconstruction.
    § I.3.3. - Show that historical knowledge is tentative and subject to change by describing interpretations of the past that have been revised when new information was uncovered.
    o MI.II.5. - Explain how elements of the physical geography, culture, and history of the region may be influencing current events.
    § II.5.3. - Explain how elements of the physical geography, culture, and history of the region may be influencing current events.
    Grade: 7
    o MI.I.1. - Construct and interpret timelines of people and events from the history of Michigan and the United States through the era of Reconstruction and from the history of other regions of the world.
    § I.1.1. - Construct and interpret timelines of people and events from the history of Michigan and the United States through the era of Reconstruction and from the history of other regions of the world.
    § I.1.2. - Describe major factors that characterize the following eras in United States history: The Meeting of Three Worlds (beginnings to 1620), Colonization and Settlement (1585-1763), Revolution and the New Nation (1754-1815), Expansion and Reform (1801-1861) and Civil War and Reconstruction (1850-1877).
    o MI.I.2. - Identify and explain how individuals in history demonstrated good character and personal virtue.
    § I.2.2. - Identify and explain how individuals in history demonstrated good character and personal virtue.
    § I.2.3. - Select conditions in various parts of the world and describe how they have been shaped by events from the past.
    o MI.I.3. - Use primary and secondary records to analyze significant events that shaped the development of Michigan as a state and the United States as a nation prior to the end of the era of Reconstruction.
    § I.3.1. - Use primary and secondary records to analyze significant events that shaped the development of Michigan as a state and the United States as a nation prior to the end of the era of Reconstruction.
    § I.3.3. - Show that historical knowledge is tentative and subject to change by describing interpretations of the past that have been revised when new information was uncovered.
    o MI.II.5. - Explain how elements of the physical geography, culture, and history of the region may be influencing current events.
    § II.5.3. - Explain how elements of the physical geography, culture, and history of the region may be influencing current events.
    Grade: 8
    o MI.I.1. - Construct and interpret timelines of people and events from the history of Michigan and the United States through the era of Reconstruction and from the history of other regions of the world.
    § I.1.1. - Construct and interpret timelines of people and events from the history of Michigan and the United States through the era of Reconstruction and from the history of other regions of the world.
    § I.1.2. - Describe major factors that characterize the following eras in United States history: The Meeting of Three Worlds (beginnings to 1620), Colonization and Settlement (1585-1763), Revolution and the New Nation (1754-1815), Expansion and Reform (1801-1861) and Civil War and Reconstruction (1850-1877).
    o MI.I.2. - Identify and explain how individuals in history demonstrated good character and personal virtue.
    § I.2.2. - Identify and explain how individuals in history demonstrated good character and personal virtue.
    § I.2.3. - Select conditions in various parts of the world and describe how they have been shaped by events from the past.
    o MI.I.3. - Use primary and secondary records to analyze significant events that shaped the development of Michigan as a state and the United States as a nation prior to the end of the era of Reconstruction.
    § I.3.1. - Use primary and secondary records to analyze significant events that shaped the development of Michigan as a state and the United States as a nation prior to the end of the era of Reconstruction.
    § I.3.3. - Show that historical knowledge is tentative and subject to change by describing interpretations of the past that have been revised when new information was uncovered.
    o MI.II.5. - Explain how elements of the physical geography, culture, and history of the region may be influencing current events.
    § II.5.3. - Explain how elements of the physical geography, culture, and history of the region may be influencing current events.
    Grade: 9
    § MI.I.2. - Select events and individuals from the past that have had global impact on the modern world and describe their impact.
    § I.2.3. - Select events and individuals from the past that have had global impact on the modern world and describe their impact.
    § MI.I.3. - Use primary and secondary records to analyze significant events that shaped the development of Michigan as a state and the United States as a nation since the era of Reconstruction.
    § I.3.1. - Use primary and secondary records to analyze significant events that shaped the development of Michigan as a state and the United States as a nation since the era of Reconstruction.
    § I.3.2. - Challenge arguments of historical inevitability by formulating examples of how different choices could have led to different consequences.
    § MI.I.4. - Analyze key decisions by drawing appropriate historical analogies.
    § I.4.3. - Analyze key decisions by drawing appropriate historical analogies.
    § I.4.4. - Select pivotal decisions in United States history and evaluate them in light of core democratic values and resulting costs and benefits as viewed from a variety of perspectives.
    § MI.II.1. - Describe how major world issues and events affect various people, societies, places, and cultures in different ways.
    § II.1.1. - Describe how major world issues and events affect various people, societies, places, and cultures in different ways.


    Resources:

    Video:
    American Civil War, The: Causes of the War. United Learning (1996).
    Retrieved February 20, 2008, fromUnited Streaming: http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/

    Textbook:
    The American Nation, Publisher: Prentice Hall

    Technology involved with this lesson plan
    § Streaming video
    § Desktop Publishing
    § Camcorder
    § Podcasting
    § Wiki (PBwiki.com)
    § Goggle Groups
    § Blackboard

Instructional Design - Theoretical Research Overview

If you ask any educator why they decided to become a teacher you will hear them say things like, to make a difference in a teaching are young people, or the gratifications of seeing children learn and grow. It is also that time, when but if only one student comes to you and says, “I want you to know how much of a difference you made in my life back in 6th grade.” This is what makes teaching all worth it in the end. In order to have meaningful learning, we need to have instruction. Meaningful learning is what we will talk about in this instructional design paper. We will look at what makes best practices in the design of instruction and we will compare and contrast two styles of instructional design.
Before we look at instructional designs we will first try to define what is meant by instructional design. If we look at the webpage made by Sara McNeil of the University of Huston she describes it this way, “Instructional Design is the systematic development of instructional specifications using learning and instructional theory to ensure the quality of instruction. It is the entire process of analysis of learning needs and goals and the development of a delivery system to meet those needs. It includes development of instructional materials and activities; and tryout and evaluation of all instruction and learner activities.”
Over the last year are cohort group has looked at many facets of instructional design. I will be using what we have learned from the book, “Essentials of Educational Psychology” by Jeanne Ellis Ormrod and the book Educational Assessment of Students by Anthony j. Nitko and Susan M. Brookhart in this paper and my presentation project.
The two instructional design methods that we will be looking at are the, “ADDIE model of Instructional Design Process” and “Backward Design by Wiggins and McTighe”. The best description that I have read about what instructional design is, comes from the Leslie Owen Wilson’s website she explains it as this, “In writing curriculum or developing instructional task the following needs to be considered. If you use the metaphor of those Mylar pictures in textbooks that showed the varied layers of topography, or the parts of the human anatomy, then writing curriculum is a similar process it is like developing a series of layers until it becomes a whole picture.” I think this is a great illustration of instructional design, for if we forget any one of the layers of design then we may miss the whole picture that the student gets and they will not achieve mastery of the subject.
The first design that we will look at is Backward Design, the process has a three step approach they are, Step one Identify desired results, step two Determine acceptable evidence, and step three plan learning experiences and instruction. In step one, we need to identify what is the important learning objectives that we will cover in are instruction. These learning objectives can come from the state standards or district pacing guides. In step two, we will determine the evidence of good assessments to use to determine the depth of understanding with pretest, post test and performance assessments. After administering pre test assessments we may need to make mid course adjustments depending on the group of students understanding of the learning objectives. We will use the post test and daily test to make sure that students have created relevant understanding as they move up the levels of blooms taxonomy. The step three, we will plan the learning experience and instruction. This is where we look at the different strategies that are research based to enable the students’ skills towards mastery of the subject mater. This is the meat and potatoes of being educators; it is where we work on different strategies to make sure that all happens for all children as they develop true understanding of the objective.
The second design that we will look at is the ADDIE approach to instructional design. This process is arranged in five steps. Step one is Analyze, step two is Design, step three is Develop, step four is Implement, and step five is evaluate. In Step one of the ADDIE approach we look at Analyze, in this step we look at who are the learners, what are the objectives, what are the strategies that we can use to help the student achieve mastery. What can we use as assessments, and how much time do we have to meet these objectives. In step two we look at the instructional methods that we can use to help the students to reach mastery of the subject. We look at lectures, home work, projects, and other instructional lessons. In step three we look at tools that we can use in the creation of instructional tools. In this stage we look at creation of assessments tools. In step four, we look at Implementing, this is the part of the instruction were the students is given the instruction and the students are prepared for the lessons that will be delivered to them. If step five, we evaluate, this is where we use formative assessments. These assessments are made up of six stages. The first is evaluation of goal specifications, the second is preparation, the third is data collection, the forth is data analysis, the fifth is revision, and the sixth is recycling. In Stage one is the formative evaluation, this is where we determine goals for the stakeholders. The second, stage the preparation having the correct measurement tools. The third, stage is data collection this data is feedback from the students. The forth stage, is data analysis or to tabulate the data and evaluate. The fifth, step is revision where we modify the outcome to try to raise the data above the goals. The sixth, step is recycling this is where we move to a summative form of assessment. In this assessment we look at the student outcome can be used in the continuing improvement model to help us refine are instruction to help students in future groups gain depth of knowledge. It also helps us look at the students to see how many students reach mastery of the subject and what objectives were achieved or missed.
These two instructional design tools have some similarities and some differences. First I will compare these two systems. They both have the same outcome, it is to help students achieve mastery of the subject area. They both recommend using best instructional practices and theory in educating student with many forms of instruction. They both talk about assessment as a key component in deciding what students prior knowledge is. It also allows use to look at the final outcome with the summative assessment to see how we can improve are instructional practice to help the student to achieve student mastery. Both systems also look at what the target objectives are that we need to cover to make the students successful.
There is some significant contrast to the two system of instructional design. The first is that they start at opposite extreme of the educational process. The Backwards design looks at what we want for the final outcome for the students to be. In this step we are looking at learning objectives or pacing guides or state standards. Where the ADDIE system looks at other factors as who are the group of learners or who is are audience. It also looks at what are deliveries method will be, and how much time we have to complete the learning unit. In the backwards design we next look at assessments that we can use to make sure learning objective are being covered. Whereas the ADDIE system makes the assessment part the last part of design in instruction. The last and final step of backwards design is the planning for learning instructional methods and instruction. Where the ADDIE is Data collection, analysis and revision of instruction then evaluate with summative assessments.
I find the backwards design to be a process that is easier for me to follow and to be the more logical approach to instructional design. Both methods in the end accomplish the same goal of helping students to learn and achieve mastery of the subject. I also like the temples that have been created by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe to help in developing instructional materials to meet the Backwards design concepts. But no matter which process you find to meet your needs, they both have the same basic objective to help the student to learn the subject and to evaluate the learning with formative and summative assessments.

References
ADDIE:
Davidson-Shivers, G V, Salazar, J., & Hamilton, K M (Sept 2005). Design of faculty development workshops: attempting to practice what we preach. College Student Journal, 39, 3. p.528(12). Retrieved May 19, 2008, from Academic OneFile via Gale:
http://0-find.galegroup.com.elibrary.mel.org:80/itx/start.do?prodId=AONE
Peterson, C. (Fall 2003). Bringing ADDIE to life: instructional design at its best. Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 12, 3. p.227(15). Retrieved May 19, 2008, from Academic OneFile via Gale:
http://0-find.galegroup.com.elibrary.mel.org:80/itx/start.do?prodId=AONE
Welty, G. (July 2007). The 'design' phase of the ADDIE model.(analyze, design, develop, implement, and evaluate). Journal of GXP Compliance, 11, 4. p.40(13). Retrieved May 20, 2008, from Academic OneFile via Gale:
http://0-find.galegroup.com.elibrary.mel.org:80/itx/start.do?prodId=AONE
Backwards Design:
Shumway, S., & Berrett, J. (Nov 2004). Standards-based curriculum development for pre-service and in-service: a 'partnering' approach using modified backwards design: the end result is that pre-service teacher education students are becoming more excited about their teaching profession. The Technology Teacher, 64, 3. p.26(4). Retrieved May 20, 2008, from Academic
OneFile via Gale:
http://0-find.galegroup.com.elibrary.mel.org:80/itx/start.do?prodId=AONEMcTighe, J., & Thomas, R S (Feb 2003).
Backward design for forward action. Educational Leadership, 60, 5. p.52-55. Retrieved May 20, 2008, from Academic OneFile via Gale:
Understanding by Design. Winter 2001 v36 i144 p839(2)Adolescence, 36, 144. p.839(2). Retrieved May 26, 2008, from Academic
OneFile via Gale:
Copy Right 2008 Sara McNeil Accessed on 5/21/2008
Copy Right 2005Accessed on 5/21/2008

Text Books:
Ormrod, J., (2006). Essentials of Educational Psychology. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall.Nitko, A., & Brookhart, S. (2007). Educational Assessment of Students. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall.Wiggins, G., & Mctighe, J. (2005). Understanding by Design. City: Association for Supervision & Curriculum Deve.